Local children and teens can experience something quite unique when it comes to summer camp.
Equine Sports, 5180 Grange Hall Road, Holly, will host campers, ages six to 19 years old and provide an opportunity to learn about horses and much more. The camp is scheduled for July 10-13.
The camp, run by Melissa Boyd, Mary Ann Ziegler, and Sue Owen creates a special and personalized atmosphere with varied activities for all ages and skill levels.
‘Everyday each student gets to ride twice and the rest of the days are filled with hands-on activities. Every activity is age-appropriate and tweaked to the individual, and we group the kids by both age and ability level. It is definitely not cookie cutter,? said Boyd, a clinician with more than 30 years experience of showing, training, and instruction.
Each camper can expect to ride twice a day, drive carriages and miniature horses, and participate in trail classes. Hands-on and workbook activities and arts and crafts projects are also included in each day’s events.
Not only is fun of utmost importance for the Equine team, but safety as well.
‘We really promote basic safety in order to avoid bad, scary experiences. We want to build on positive experiences and teach the campers to listen and trust the horses,? adds Boyd.
Yet what really keeps the camp in full swing is the importance the camp has on the campers and its leaders.
‘The camp is something we all look forward to. The kids make enormous leaps and bounds and we get to experience with the campers, the breakthroughs they make in just a few days,? said Boyd. ‘Just being around the horses is a great decompression. You see each camper build self-esteem, greater coordination, and problem solving skills, which then carries over to their schoolwork.?
In fact, pictures and video are taken of the campers so they can see the progress that was made in such a short period of time. Boyd also strives to keep a team atmosphere among the campers during the three days.
‘No camper is compared to anyone else. But rather it’s the camper reaching their own personalized goals for their skill level and age,? she said.
The summer camp, which still has available spots, is just one of several other activities for people of all ages and levels. Riding lessons, carriage driving, consulting services, and equicise are also offered at Equine Sports.
Equicise is a favorite among the riders. It is a unique program that improves flexibility, core strength, balance, and coordination through a series of stretching and balancing exercises. In this activity the instructor controls the horse.
Equine Sports opened its doors in 2001 and recently moved to Groveland Township in January of this year. Boyd considers the move to the Ortonville area a success.
Visit www.equinesports.net or call 810-516-0232.